Joseph T

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I was walking down the streets of Georgetown today and happened to notice this little paper shop. As an artist and even just as a person, I love paper and cards and stationery and I wanted to see if this shop had a nice selection.
My experience began nicely enough with pleasant chit chat with the lady who was minding the store, and briefly with a gentleman (presumably Nick) who came out front briefly. I informed the lady that I was just a browser, having just discovered their shop and wanting to see what kind of things they offered.
Within just a minute or two, though, as I was looking at the various greeting cards, I sensed a strange tone on the part of the lady (Carolyn?), who remarked suspiciously that I seemed very interested in the companies who make the cards (since I was turning over each card to see who made it). I don't know why it mattered to her, but I had a specific personal reason (given at the bottom of this review).
A few moments later, after inquiring into the availability of Crane's Crest stationery, some kind of switch flipped and the sales lady suddenly showed no more interest in helping me. I asked how long it would take to receive a box of the stationery if I ordered with them (since they didn't keep any in stock). With a very strange look on her face, she refused to answer me with anything other than a curt and non-helpful 'very soon' or something similar. I asked politely if we were talking about something like a week or a month. 'Very soon,' she repeated, standing there looking bizarrely at me. Repeated attempts to get some sort of approximate turnaround time were each met with 'very soon.'
It's not that I looked suspicious or unwelcome. I'm educated and dress respectably and conservatively, bathe regularly, have a normal haircut, etc. There was no remotely guessable reason for her sudden, starkly impolite refusal to help me.
After a moment of stunned silence on my part, I asked what was wrong. 'Nothing at all,' she said curtly, still staring right at me. I asked if I had said something wrong. 'Not at all,' was her curt reply, with the same bizarre fakeness in her look.
I started walking out and she hastened after me saying 'Have a pleasant day' or something, in sarcastic fashion.
This bizarre treatment was very disturbing. I had no idea what had happened. This is the kind of treatment one would imagine to come only from certain types of patient at a mental hospital, truly.
One possible explanation? After I left, I thought to myself: I had asked about the companies she gets her greeting cards from, and I had asked about prices of two items and about the turnaround time for an order of stationery. Was it paranoia? Maybe she thought I was a competitor trying to research the competition and decided to shut me down. I don't know.
In any case, I am an artist and had inquired as to where she gets her cards because I was thinking of offering to send her samples of my own work for sale. And I asked the price of stationery and delivery time because I USE stationery and was running low.
I have NEVER been treated this bizarrely, unfairly, or offensively by anyone, much less by a sales person who is presumably in business to succeed. I know many people in the arts and many others who enjoy fine papers and great cards and I could never recommend this place to any of them.
I would hate for anyone I care about to have their afternoon spoiled like mine was by an encounter such as this.
Joseph